Sexual assaults against Australian children have accelerated sharply since the pandemic, according to research from the University of Sydney. Researchers had anticipated a decline in rates, but instead found a significant increase, particularly in attacks on boys.
The study, published on Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, found that rates of sexual assaults against boys aged 10 to 17 rose by 15.7% after 2021. Sexual assaults against girls aged up to nine increased by 2.8% per year, and for those aged 10 to 17, rates rose by 4.2% annually.
The research, which analysed Australian data from 2014 to 2024, attributed the increase to a range of factors. These include income inequality, which has reached its highest point in 20 years in Australia, and the influence of the 'manosphere' and misogynistic online communities. An increase in reporting due to growing awareness was also identified as a partial explanation for the higher rates.
Lead author Dr Lucy Grummitt noted that the findings highlight an urgent need to prevent the suffering of children and called for a less siloed approach to addressing violence against children.